Pastoral Pondering: Summer no time to take a break from God

Its hard to beat a summer in Oregon. There are plenty of places that may have nicer winters, but summer in the Northwest is about as good as it gets.

With summer comes a break from the school schedules so no homework (yippee!), less scheduled activities like sports and concerts, more time for vacations, for just messing around, more free evenings at home time to relax more and enjoy the sunshine.

The berries in my back yard are ripening and I love nibbling on a few every time I step into the back yard. Good ol summertime.

Summer is a good time to take vacation from school, but not a good time to take vacation from God. This summer I encourage you to make the intentional effort to thank God for the blessings of the good ol summertime.

Thank God for the warm sunny days, for the song of birds in the trees, and for the tasty fresh berries. Thank God for the beach trip or the camping trip in the mountains.

Thank God for quiet evenings on the back patio and for the bright blossoms on the petunias and marigolds.

Thank God for kids squealing as they splash in the water and for crowded concerts in the park. Thank God for fresh berry cobbler, vine ripened tomatoes and more zucchinis than we can eat.

Summertime in Oregon is great. Enjoy the goodness of it and recognize the giver of the goodness. Recognize the one who is goodness.

Our lives can often be packed tight with activities, but during the summer, hopefully, we can slow down a bit and enjoy the goodness all around us.